Customer Reviews

Slice O Life: Bruce Cockburn Live Solo

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What It Is: 2 discs with 20 of Cockburn's songs performed live and solo, plus some soundcheck noodling and between-song chatter.

Why To Buy It: You're a die-hard fan who wants to hear a new take on some of your favorite songs, as well as new material like "The City Is Hungry". Sure, Bruce's voice is getting a bit rough; but the material hangs together well and if you close your eyes it's like a house concert without the annoying guests.

Why To Avoid It: You're new to Cockburn and don't already own the best of his three dozen other albums. Try Humans, Inner City Front, Stealing Fire, Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws, or his first live album Circles in the Stream and come back to this one later. (Another good place to start is the accessible sampler Anything Anytime Anywhere: Singles 1979-2002.)

The first time I saw Bruce Cockburn live was at the Town Hall in New York City in March of 1988. I was a big Cockburn fan but was definitely also still in my youth in the 1980's and enjoyed the big, glossy, heavy drum sound that influenced (now slightly marred?) my favorite records of the times like Born In The USA, Infidels, and even Stealing Fire. Bruce was appearing solo that night, just him and his guitar. This was a little disappointing to me, whose idea of a great concert was something big like U2 or the other Bruce. This disappointment melted away within the first 2 minutes of Bruce's first song, "Creation Dream". I had never seen someone in total command of an audience with just a guitar and voice as I did that night. The amazing sounds he could make on that acoustic guitar; you would swear it was more than one person. Bruce has a way of playing that is different from everyone else, where he almost creates a backbeat in addition to the incredibly intricate guitar work he is capable of. I've seen Bruce 9 more times since then and thereafter whenever I heard he was touring with a band I felt a little disappointed that he wasn't solo. Nothing has changed since then. Bruce has continued to dazzle audiences when he decides to tour solo. If you've never seen one of these shows or heard an unofficial recording then you are in for a particular treat with Slice O Life. This is Bruce's first live album where he performs solo. You already know from the studio albums what a great songwriter Bruce is; here you will find out just what he can do with just a guitar. I was a little disappointed that Bruce didn't include more songs from the 70's, but with a prolific 40 year career to choose from there is bound to be many songs here that you will like. Even in his 60's Bruce is still captivating.

Bruce Cockburn's "Live Solo" Album is a marvelous collection of songs which range from early hits ("Wondering Where the Lions Are," "Rocket Launcher") to mid-career highlights ("Kit Carson," "Soul of a Man") to more recent gems such as "Celestial Horses" and "Last Night of the World." That his songwriting and performing skills continue unabated is given evidence by songs making their live recording debuts here, such as the beat-driven "Wait No More" and the soulful, socially conscious "The City is Hungry."

Cockburn's "Slice O Life" is more than a "Best of" studio-recorded collection with a couple of new items tossed in (for that, pick up his unsurpassed "Anything, Anytime, Anywhere" collection), as it draws on a series of one-man acoustic concerts given across the northeastern states and Quebec. Presented in live format on two CDs, it includes such in-concert moments as pre-show sound-checks, guitar tunings which meander into improvisation, and stories which illumine the singer's world and life.

I've seen Bruce with a band and seen him solo acoustic; and the solo acoustic performances truly shine brightly--as does this recording. There is some mesmerizing guitar work here, as Bruce's seemingly effortless (but incredible) technique appears to get better with age. Unfortunately, his voice appears to be not quite as strong as it once was, but his singing is still excellent. The opening World of Wonders is terrific, and the reworked acoustic version of Rocket Laucher puts the original electric version to shame. Even the "sound check" samples have some interesting and pleasing guitar work. This is a great addition to the Cockburn catalog.

Bruce is always most entertaining and fun when you get to see/hear him live with just a guitar, a bunch of pedals (he uses WAY more effects on acoustic guitar than most any guitar player I've ever heard, and it always makes for great sounds), and his amazing stories and observations.

Just one voice, one guitar, and a worldview that should at least challenge yours. Elements of faith, doubt, anger, sadness, and wonder all woven together. The album is raw and fresh, and it's amazing to me that after forty years making music that Bruce sounds fresher and fresher.

Full disclosure: I am a HUGE fan of Bruce's for almost 30 years, and love all but one of his albums anyway. (Sorry, I just can't STAND "You've Never Seen Everything".

I have had the pleasure of seeing Bruce perform solo on two occasions. The live solo experience including sound checks, which I was fortunate enough to witness, gives you more of the man. You get this in Slice O Life as Bruce's humor comes across when he plays repeatedly with the audience. Also, he lights up on a number of tunes in a way that feels like he's feeding off the live interaction. It's refreshing (to use his word) when his voice reaches passionately for notes bent by emotion. I have never been so moved by If A Tree Falls, or Put It In Your Heart as by the renditions in this CD. While the tunes can be found elsewhere in the catalogue, Slice O Life has an energy that makes it a unique joy to listen to.

This CD is a must have for any Cockburn fan and even better for those new to the great Canadian singer/songwriter. As a longtime Bruce fan, I enjoyed listening to his commentary and witty banter and especially the stories behind some of the songs. The CD lends a deeply personal feel and it feels as if the world slips away and it's just you and Bruce, alone and unplugged. With each new Bruce album, I think it can't possibly get any better... and then it does.

I love Bruce Cockburn's music. Let me come right out and say that. At times he waxes a bit cheesy and overly sincere, but I forgive him that because more often than not he finds a (for lack of a better word) spiritual sound that goes beyond entertainment. Hes a gentle soul--intimately rewarding to see live--and a talented musician. I've heard most of the tracks on this disc many times. Some versions are real gems. Others seem more like fill, tossed in to complete the disc. On the whole a good collection

This nothing short of the best live recording you'll ever hear from anybody, and it showcases a sense of humour Bruce isn't often accused of. Certainly not enough anyway. There is a danger in reviewing Bruce's recordings of preaching to the converted, but regardless, what is on display here are an arresting crosssection of some of his most compelling songs from his career delivered with his protean technique and guitarcraft. There are so many levels on which to enjoy this recording that it is hard to know where to begin.
But that has always been the case with his LIVE work, whether you actually see him in concert or listen to CIRCLES IN THE STREAM, SOLO LIVE, various and sundry EPs from Mountain Stage or some other show. Cockburn blows the competition out of the water. It is a testament to his commitment, be it to the craft of writing songs, to playing guitar (aided and abetted by Linda Manzer's amazing luthier work), to the faith in his heart, to the social and economic conditions in the world around him, Bruce is an exceptional man with an estraordinarily powerful way of chrocnicling hos sojourns and contemplations, his doubts and his passions.
To cut to it, stop reading dopey reviews and go but this - absoluetly the best live recording you'll ever own. And God willing, he makes good on his promise to release his soundchecks one day!

I am, as you may have guessed by now, a Bruce Cockburn fan. The first song I ever heard was "Wonder Where the Lions Are?" I had no idea who that was, but I loved it. I have always bought his albums since. I found the album Speechless, a collection of his guitar instrumentals, to be amazing, and I still love it, but I guess his best work features his voice which is compelling and entrancing, much like John Prine. He is always highly original and very satisfactory. Please buy this album so he will make more for me to buy and lsiten to.